


Universe-Maheswaran

by SLUSH_IE



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Connverse children, Crystal Gems, Gen, Jealousy, LGBTQ+ characters, Magic Powers, Post-Canon, Sibling Rivalry, Siblings, shes sad she doesn’t have gem powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23505499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SLUSH_IE/pseuds/SLUSH_IE
Summary: She wished she was like her parents. Like her brother. Like the Gems.But no. She was just regular old Layla Kahani Universe-Maheswaran.
Relationships: Connie Maheswaran & Original Character(s), Steven Universe & Original Character(s), Steven Universe/Connie Maheswaran
Comments: 3
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

She had given birth to a beautiful little girl. She had a mix of her mother and father's skin, plus thick brown hair. She almost looked like her "Mada".

Layla Kahani Universe-Maheswaran.

She had grown up just as a human would. She went to school (something her father wished he had done), made friends, had curfews. She was a normal kid. The only thing out of the ordinary was that she was 25% Gem.

Layla looked up to the Gems and her parents. She listened to their stories which almost seemed like fairytales. She'd beg to hear about the magical adventures they used to go on. She always wished she had powers of her own, but alas, she was (mostly) human, and she had never shown any signs of being a Gem. Perhaps it was because she didn't have her father's Diamond? Gem powers don't pass through DNA, do they?

Then her brother was born. Kyle Ark Universe-Maheswaran.

He (at first), grew up just as Layla had. Normally. A child with light skin and dark curls, resembling his father in many ways. And, after everything that happened with his sister, neither of his parents expected him to sneeze on a flower and bring it to life. But it happened.

It wasn't too dramatic—just a tiny flower pet that died within a few months. It never happened again.

That didn't stop Layla from being jealous, however. Of course she was proud of her brother for showing at least the tiniest bit of magic. But she wished that she had some too. She wished that she could live up to her parents.

They always told her that they were so proud of her. Her father always told her how happy he was that she was getting the chance to experience normal human life and culture (instead of getting scarred for life by Gem missions, but he never mentioned that part).

They were proud. So why wasn't she?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Layla's trying to study, but it isn't working out.

Layla slammed the pile of books on her desk. She groaned. She knew she had to study, but she  _ so _ did not want to do it. Couldn't she just, like, watch a movie or something? She had found some old DVDs with some movies her parents used to watch when they were younger. Dogcopter, or something?

No, no, she had to study. She was falling behind in her classes. She could  _ not _ fail another test. Her parents never punished her if she got a bad grade, but she was hard on herself. She wasn't the best student, but she  _ really _ wanted to get better grades. If she couldn't at least get a B average, she'd be kicked off the track team. She couldn't let that happen.

"Lay-uh?" Her younger brother, Kyle, opened up the door. He couldn't pronounce her name right. He couldn't pronounce a lot of things right.

She rotated her swivel chair to face him. "Hey, Ky," her voice always softened when she talked to him. 

"Mama...soup," he mumbled 'made some' in between the words, making it hard to hear the entire sentence. He had a habit of doing this.

"Alright, I'll be down in a minute." 

"What're you doin'?"

"Oh, just...some homework. Go downstairs."

He nodded and waddled down the hallway. Layla smiled to herself.

Maybe she should take a break and have dinner. She didn't want it to go cold. But still, her studying...

She shook her head and walked downstairs.

* * *

She ate fast, and once she was done, she nearly sprinted up the stairs to her room.

"Hm? Where are you going so quickly?" Her mother called after her.

Layla stopped and turned around. "Uh, my room." She could tell that she needed to be more specific. "I've just been studying a lot."

Connie sighed a little. "Have you been taking breaks?"

"No...?"

She frowned. "You should take breaks, honey. I used to study a whole lot when I was your age too, but I always had some time to rest so I didn't get too burnt out," she paused. "Are you getting burnt out?"

Layla shook her head no. She probably wasn't. Well, she's been studying a  _ lot _ lately, sometimes up to really late, and sometimes she wouldn't want to get out of bed to go to school, but she wasn't burnt out, right? "Hey, uh, where's Dad?"

"He's resting. He isn't feeling too well."

"Why's that?" Successfully changed the topic.

Connie paused and diverted her eyes to the dishes in the sink. "Just some headaches. It's a long story. He'll be okay."

Layla shrugged it off and headed to her room.

* * *

"Heyy, Layla!" Reagan's voice traveled through the phone. 

"Reagan! How are you? You sound better!"

"Ugh, yeah, definitely better. Just a nasty case of the flu, y'know?"

"Yep. Do you think you're coming to school any time soon? It's lonely without you," Layla giggled.

"Haha, yeah, maybe tomorrow. I'll have to check, though; I still have a bit of a fever."

"Oof. Um, hey, Reagan? I wanna ask you something," she said nervously.

"What's up?"

"Okay...how do you get such good grades?"

She heard a laugh on the other end of the phone. "What?"

"You have straight-A's, Rea. I have, like, so many C's and B's, it's not even funny."

"B's aren't that bad."

" _ C's _ aren't!"

Reagan kept laughing. "Okay, fine. Wanna know my secret?"

"What?"

" _ I pay attention in class, _ " she whispered into the mic.

"Haha, very funny."

"What, don't believe me? I see you dozing off in class, you know."

Layla's face flushed. "Shut up."

They both laughed, but they were interrupted by Reagan's laughter turning into coughs. "Ack, sorry. I've gotta go, mk? Talk to you later."

"See ya."

The call ended. Layla sighed. Her phone fell onto her bed. She was so unmotivated to get up. She had to continue studying, but it was so  _ boring _ . How does anyone do it?

Maybe she should just sleep on it. That'd be good.


End file.
